Vision of the Future
Dynamic Growth Speech 2003
From Katelyn Leopold

In the words of Dr Demartini "The limits we put on ourselves are far more limiting than what others put on us"

I heard that quote nearly 3 years ago but it wasn't till this last year that I understood it's significance. I am so motivated after DG each year that I now write my year's goals on the plane ride home.

Speaking today will complete all my personal goals for last year and conclude a most empowering and focused year. Where I have learnt a lot about myself, about others and about what role being a chiropractor plays in my life. And most importantly the capacity and potential role I have in bringing chiropractic into its rightful place as the leading health discipline in our society.

Last year we heard Lisa Lovett talk about the Power of one and by sharing our love and passion for chiropractic with a few we have the potential to influence a huge volume of our community. Although I agree with Lisa, I had previously believed I lacked the knowledge or experience to educate the public. So on my way home last year whilst writing my goals, I was thinking what exactly was limiting my belief in myself, and my ability to begin taking part in such as important mission?

Was it my family? - Definitely not. I am a forth generation chiropractic patient.

My friends - Well, that was hard to believe as most of them have some association with chiropractic.

My educational environment and the severe lack of chiropractic philosophy shared at my College? Frustrating but no excuse.

Or was I using every life challenge as an excuse to hold me back instead of using these challenges to learn, make me more capable, more motivated and take charge of my life and it's outcomes. Yes. So I wrote down my goals and I went after them. I've spoken about chiropractic at schools, my workplace, shopping centres and started a technique club at college to expose students to a fresh technique and some chiropractic philosophy. Never with the intention of gaining patients for a practice but to just educate and share my growing love and knowledge. And believe me nothing has been more rewarding than hearing that many of these people have changed their lives by becoming patients.

Even more exciting my 11 year old cousin declaring this Christmas that he was going become a chiropractor and nothing would stand in his way. I thought all my christmas's had come at once. Imagine if everyone in this room, all those who have been touched by chiropractic spoke at a school, club or association each year not to increase our patient base but for the greater good of chiropractic and the health of the world.

My vision is for our profession. Embrace our differences, take responsibility and challenge ourselves to using the love and passion that is unique to chiropractic and via education redefine the way this country thinks about health, about life and about living.

My generation of chiropractors are so lucky thanks to those before us - we live in a transitional period where people are exploring health avenues, looking for simplification and are willing to try and learn about complementary and alternative practices such as ours.

Society are moving from a time where we rely on experts in health to make decisions for us, to a world where we have recovered our ability as individuals, as families and communities to heal ourselves, and make the advice and skills of professionals, supplementary to our reliance on the innate human ability to heal.

Preventative, Wellness thinking and living is increasing people are not just thinking about curing diseased states but are looking for ways to express and vitalise their true health and life potential. And that is why I believe now is the perfect time for us to stop limiting ourselves look at what is holding us back and give the world what they want, what they're looking for. And why do I think we can do this because it's exactly what we've been doing for since DD Palmer adjusted Harvey Lillard over a century ago.

We have no more excuses. The universe will give us what we give ourselves. If we minimise our mission so will the world.

To conclude I would like to share a quote. "The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love and something to hope for". Chiropractic has already given me and hopefully all of you, complete happiness and now is the time to give something back.

Thankyou